Pretoria, South Africa — A company linked to businesswoman Cat Matlala secured a multi-million-rand contract from the South African Police Service (SAPS) despite having been flagged during the procurement process, senior officials have confirmed. The revelations came as the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption intensified its probe into allegations of irregularities surrounding a R360 million SAPS tender awarded in the Tshwane District.
According to details presented during ongoing inquiries, Medicare24, the company tied to Matlala was flagged for compliance concerns but advanced in the adjudication process regardless. Molefe Fani, head of supply chain management for SAPS Tshwane District, confirmed that the firm received the tender despite the cautionary findings raised during evaluations.
Investigators are now scrutinising whether procurement officials overlooked, ignored or failed to act on material information that should have disqualified the company. The concerns have raised fresh questions about internal controls, tender governance, and the integrity of SAPS’s supply-chain systems.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has already collected documents, financial records and internal communications as part of its widening investigation. Officials have not yet disclosed whether criminal charges will follow, noting that the matter involves complex procurement layers that require deeper analysis.
The controversy comes at a time when SAPS faces intensified public pressure over transparency and accountability. The awarding of a high-value contract to a company previously flagged for risks has amplified calls for an overhaul of public procurement safeguards and tighter oversight mechanisms across the security cluster.
SAPS has not issued an updated public statement on the matter, while investigators continue to piece together the tender’s adjudication timeline and decision-making process.
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Source: https://townpress.co.za/r360-million-saps-tender-scandal-puts-spotlight-on-matlala/
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